James thomas smith



(No Model.)

J. T. SMITH.

UMBRELLA 0R PARASOL. No. 326,890. Patented Sept. 22, 1885.

WITNESSES: INV NTOR N. Pi'rERs. Phololjthugnpw, WaIhinglnn. D. (L

JAMES THOMAS SMITH, OF NEWV YORK, N. Y.

UMBRELLA AND PARASOL.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 326,890, dated September 22, 1885. Application filed September 11, 1884. (No model.)

.To all whom it may concern.-

Be it known that I, J AMES T. SMITH, a citizen of the United States, residing at New York, in the county of New York and State of New York, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Umbrellas and Parasols; and I do hereby declare the following to be a full, clear, and exact description of the invention, such as will enable others skilled in the art to which it appertains to make and use the same.

My invention relates to a spring for umbrella and parasol handles, by the action of whichtheumbrella or parasol top, when spread, is held open, or, when closed, is held down to the handle.

As usually constructed such springs consist of a piece of wire bent around and secured to a rivet at one end, and at the other end first curved to extend out of a slot in the handle to answer as a thumb-piece, on which pressure is applied to force the spring in and then bent around and secured to a rivet which is passed through the handle and the slot. The disadvantages of such a spring are that it requires every spring to be bent about rivets at both ends before or after the insertion of the rivets and at great inconvenience, and that the employment of a rivet passed through the slotted portion of the handle greatly weakens the handle at that point, and when the handle is broken or split at that point it is very difficult to repair. The wire spring itself is objectionable, as it is impaired in shape and operation by constant use, and by reason of constant friction with the rivet at the thumb-piece becomes either broken or inoperative by the wearing away or breaking of the rivet.

My invention consists in dispensing both with such a spring and its mode of fastening, and substituting therefor a small stifl rod or bar of a peculiar form and secured to the handle by a single rivet.

My invention is illustrated in the accompanying drawings, in which Figure l is a side view of the bar, and Fig. 2 a view, partly in section, illustrating the mode of securing the bar to the handle.

A is the bar or rod having a straight central portion, 1), terminating at one end in a curved portion, 0, provided with an eye, d, through which the rivet is to be inserted. The opposite and larger curved end, 6, of the bar, which answers for the thumb-piece, has also a slight upward curve on its under edge.

The top of the part c bears against the tube at a, and the bottom of the bar A touches the tube at a \Vhen the spring-bar is pressed upon at c, the tube at the lower point, a becomes the fulcrum, and the tube at the upper point, a, furnishes the resistance. \Vhen pressure is removed, this resistance forces the spring back to its normal position. Thus the elastic quality of bar A is not alone relied upon, but is made available by the lever force exerted in the manner just described, which has the effect of rendering the action of the bar always effective.

With the rod thus shaped and riveted at one end to the stick the bar becomes a springlever with the rivet as its fulcrum.

The mode of application to a handle and the position of my improved spring is shown in Fig. 2. F is the rivet by which the smaller curved end is held. G is the slot through which the larger thumb'piecc extends.

Among the advantages of my spring are the following: First, it requires one rivet only to hold it in its place, thus only one drill-holein the stick is necessary; second, perfect simplicity as to shape and action; third, freedom from injury or breakage; fourth, the shape is such as to insure its elasticity.

Having described my invention what I claim 1s A spring-bar for an umbrella or parasol handle, consisting of a single piece of metal. A, with a curved end, 0, secured at that end to the tubular portion of the handle by a rivet, so as to turn thereon, and curved at the point a to bear against the wall of the tube as a tion b and the curved opposite end a, substantially as and for the purpose set forth.

In testimony whereof I affix my signature in presence of two witnesses.

JAMES THOMAS SMITII.

Vitnesses:

H. D. PULLEN, S. B. GOODALE.

- fulcrum, and having the straight central por- 

